CELEC EP Presents New Fraud Evidence on Progen in Florida Court

The state-owned utility Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador (CELEC EP) submitted fresh evidence to a U.S. federal court in Florida, alleging that the contractor Progen committed fraud against the Ecuadorian government.

The filing includes testimonies from Wade Manning, identified as the brother of Progen’s manager, and representatives of Apollo Electric, the supplier of generators. CELEC EP claims Progen provided falsified documentation, lacked the expertise to execute the contracted project, and purchased used generators in Houston and India, which were then refurbished and delivered to the utility as new equipment. The utility also alleges that most of the funds received from CELEC EP were diverted for personal use.

Ecuador’s Secretary General of Public Administration, Planning and Cabinet, José Julio Neira, said the new evidence demonstrates how Progen’s structure operated around CELEC EP and pledged that the government will continue to pursue accountability and recovery of public resources.